1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle side view mirrors and, more particularly, to a vehicle blind spot monitoring system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Blind spots are well known to drivers of vehicles as rear view areas that vehicle drivers are unable to view using their side and/or rear view mirrors. Side view mirrors enhance the safety of vehicles because they assist vehicle drivers in determining whether an adjacent lane is clear to the side and rear of the vehicle before making a lane change. However, despite numerous attempts at inhibiting the effects blind spots have on vehicle drivers, there remains a need to provide vehicle side view mirrors that assist in minimizing the detrimental effects of blind spots.
The related art is represented by the following references of interest.
U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0154007 A1, published on Oct. 24, 2002 for Tsun-Lung Yang, describes a car reverse alerting and multi-functional display, wherein a driver can reverse a car safely from image and speech alerts. The Yang application does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0159171 A1, published on Oct. 31, 2002 for Robert E. Schnell et al., describes a vehicular rearview mirror blind spot viewing system which enables moving the reflective mirror element to an alternate position for viewing of areas adjacent the vehicle which otherwise would be hidden in the driver's blind spot. The Schnell et al. patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,324, issued on Jul. 23, 1974 to Harold G. Brewington, describes an apparatus for remotely controlling, from the inside of a vehicle, the position of a side-view mirror mounted on the outside of the vehicle. The Brewington patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,156, issued on Nov. 22, 1988 to Kunio Kotani et al., describes a remote control side mirror device for a vehicle capable of rotating a mirror housing with respect to a mirror base fixed to an automotive body by a motor driven remote control. The Kotani et al. patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,522, issued on May 30, 1989 to Miroslaw Janowicz, describes an outside rear view mirror for vehicles. The Janowicz patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,870, issued on Mar. 13, 1990 to Milton Brucker, describes a motor vehicle side view mirror assembly. The Brucker patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,430, issued on Nov. 20, 1990 to Robert M. Lynas, describes a rearview mirror system for a vehicle. The Lynas patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,028, issued on Oct. 15, 1996 to Josef Wodeslavsky, describes a vacuum controlled side-rear view mirror for exposing vehicle blind spots. The Wodeslavsky patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,675, issued on Sep. 16, 1997 to Ronald J. Fredricks, describes an opto-electronic alignment method and apparatus capable of being incorporated into left and right side vehicle exterior sideview mirrors to assist the driver in adjusting the mirror to minimize the presence of any traffic blind spots on a side of the vehicle. The Fredricks patent and application does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,310, issued on Apr. 28, 1998 to Raymond J. Mathieu, describes a method and apparatus enabling an operator of a vehicle wishing to change traffic lanes to temporarily scan an angle of an area outside the normal angle of viewing of a conventional flat side rear view mirror. The Mathieu patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,380 B1, issued on Feb. 27, 2001 to Raymond A. Jacobs, describes an angularly adjustable side view mirror mounted on a vehicle. The Jacobs patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,037 B1, issued on Feb. 26, 2002 to Thomas D. Adams, describes automobile safety mirrors that eliminate blind spots. The Adams patent does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
Germany Patent Application Publication No. 3,705,991 A1, published on Sep. 1, 1988, describes a device for a for a motor vehicle side view mirror. The Germany '991 application does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
Germany Patent Application Publication No. 4,115,474 A1, published on Nov. 12, 1992, describes an adjustable side view mirror fo a vehicle. The Germany '474 application does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
Germany Patent Application Publication No. 4,334,800 A1, published on May 19, 1994, describes a steering wheel for a car that has fingertip switches incorporated into the inner surface of the rim. The Germany '800 application does not suggest a vehicle blind spot monitoring system according to the claimed invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a vehicle blind spot monitoring system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.